Disappearing closet



' Mgrch 7, 1950 c, SPENCER 2,499,791

DISAPPEARING CLOSET Filed Aug. 16, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 &

I I K 2 1 A i I TQ d W Q- I A Ckarles G. Spams Mam}! 1950 c. G. SPENCER DISAPPEARING CLOSET Filed Aug. 16, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor C/zarlas G. @0621 car",

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Patented Mar. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISAPPEARING CLOSET Charles G. Spencer, Dallas, Tex.

Application August 16, 1946, Serial No. 690,914

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in disappearing closets.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved disappearing closet which will be so constructed that it may be hoisted by an electric motor with reduction gear through a ceiling opening to the attic when not in use, and which may be lowered to the floor below through said ceiling opening when it is desired to gain access to said closet.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved disappearing closet for houses which are not provided with sufficient closet space, said closet being electrically operated to be raised through a ceiling opening to remain in the attic when not in use, and to be lowered to the floor below when access to the closet is desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electrically operated disappearing closet normally kept in the attic when not in use and capable of being lowered to the floor below for use in placing things in said closet, or for removing things therefrom, said closet being provided with safety latch mechanisms and warning signals automatically operated prior to the operation of said closet.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved disappearing closet which will be highly efficient in operation and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and produce.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved disappearing closet;

Figure 2 is a view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a wiring diagram showing the position of the parts when the elevator is down.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specification and the accompanying drawings to designate corresponding parts.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided and illustrated a building having an attic floor I with roof 2, also a lower floor 3 suitably supported on the joists 4.

A ceiling opening 5 is formed through the lower floor ceiling 6 and through the said attic taken on the line 3--3 of floor I. Suitable studding I is secured between the attic floor I and the roof 2, while reinforcing joists 8 and 9 are connected to the lower and upper ends of said studding 1, respectively.

A rectangular shaped closet I0 is provided having the approximate cross sectional shape of the ceiling opening 5 and is provided with the door H supported on the spaced hinges l2, with handle or knob l3 for opening and closing the door.

Metal I-beams l4 and 15 are supported on the studs 1 at the opposite sides of the opening 5 in the attic, and similar sized and shaped I-beams l6 and H are secured to the opposite sides of said closet l0, while the H-shape connecting and guide strips I8 and I9 are connected with the I-beams i4 and I6, and I5 and I1, respectively, and move part way down as shown in Figures 1 and 2 when the closet is in lowered position. Suitable locking fingers 20 are positioned to lock the guides l6 and I! or the closet I!) when the closet H! is in raised position, and will be released by electro-magnets or other suitable mechanical releasing device when the closet lowering or down push button is pushed.

A transversely extending shaft 22 is mounted in the bearings 23 and 24 secured to the studding I at the opposite sides of closet well in the attic. Pulleys 25 and 26 are pinned to the shaft 22 and support the ends of the wire cables 21 and 28 whose lower ends are fixed to the brackets 29 and 30 on the top of the closet ID.

A platform 3| is mounted between the studding l and supports the electric motor 32 and reduction gear 50 which in turn supports the two small sprockets 33 and 34 which are connected by means of the sprocket chains 35 and 36 to the pair of large sprocket wheels 31 and 38 secured to the shaft 22. If desired cooperating belts and pulleys may be employed in place of the sprockets and chains.

A double switch will be operated by the push buttons 39 and 40 for lowering and raising the closet III, while a red lamp 4! will be connected in the circuit with the down push button 39 to give a red warning light when the closet is to be lowered and during the time it is actually lowered. Relays generally denoted by the reference numeral 42 will be connected in series with the motor, the source of electric supply 43 and the down and up push buttons 39 so that it will be necessary to keep the button pushed in to close the circuit, the full time closet is actually being lowered. When th closet is fully raised or lowered, the circuit will be automati- 3 cally opened, ready for the reverse movement of the closet.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that there has been provided a highly efficient form and construction of disappearing closet.

While the preferred embodiment of the instant invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereto, as many minor changes in detail of construction may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination with opposed support beams vertically positioned above a ceiling opening, a travelling cage adapted to move through the opening, support beamson the sides of the cage, vertically movable guide means between the side beams and the support beams, a shaft transversely journalled above the opening, cables connected between said shaft and the cage, operating means for actuating the shaft to selectively raise and lower the cage and means for holding said cage in a raised position.

2. In combination with opposed support beams vertically positioned above a ceiling opening, a travelling cage adapted to move vertically through the opening, guide beams on the sides of said cage, inter-engaging vertically movable guide rails between the guide beams and the support beams, a shaft transversely journalled above the opening, pulleys keyed on the shaft, power operated means for selectively actuating the shaft to raise and lower the cage and means for securing the cage in a raised position.

3. An elevator construction comprising a pair of opposed Ibeams vertically extending from opposed sides of a ceiling opening, vertically movable guide members slidably mounted on said beams, a transverse shaft journalled above said beams, a cage, vertical rails on said cage, said rails being slidably engaged with the guide mem- 4o bers, connecting elements between said cage and the shaft, power operated means for selectively raising and lowering said cage, said means ineluding an electric motor, having a reduction gear mechanism.

4. In combination with a frame vertically disposed above a ceiling opening, a cage adapted to move vertically through the opening, interengaging rails slidably mounted on said frame and said cage, a transverse shaft journalled above the ceiling opening, flexible connecting means between said shaft and the cage, an electric motor mounted above said opening, drive transmission means between said motor and the shaft for raising and lowering the cage, said motor having a reduction gear mechanism and means for automatically locking the cage in its uppermost position.

5. An elevated construction comprising a pair of opposed I-beams vertically positioned above a. ceiling opening, a cage adapted to move vertically through the opening to a raised and lowered position, vertical I-beams disposed on the sides of the cage, interengaging H-beams slidably disposed between the sets of I-beams for slidably connecting the cage to the vertically supported I-beams, a shaft transversely journalled above the ceiling opening, flexible con necting means between said shaft and the cage, power operated means for actuating the shaft to raise and lower the cage, locking fingers disposed on the upper portion of the support I- beams for engaging the interengaging H-rails and maintaining them in a raised position whereby the cage is held in a raised position and means for releasing the locking fingers, responsive to the power controlled lowering of the cage.

CHARLES G. SPENCER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

